A variety of hair accessories have been developed to adorn the human hair in order to enhance one's beauty. Many of these hair accessories include adding ornaments to the hair as a fashion accessory. Some fashion accessories include use of clips, pony tail holders, and other artificial members in order to further adorn the human hair.
It has also been desirable to adorn the human hair with artificial hair from others so as to provide varied colorations that are distinct from the natural human head of hair. It has also been desirable to provide both natural and artificial hair in the form of hair extensions that a user can use to adorn their existing head of hair. Some methods of attaching these hair extensions have included taping strands of auxiliary hair to the natural hair of the human head. It has been found that this type of attachment mechanism can fail when the adhesive degrades thus no longer providing its holding characteristics. Thus, there is a need to provide an improvement over this old method of attaching hair to the human scalp.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide an improved hair extension system as well as an improved method of installing the hair extension system. While this is not to be considered limiting in any way, one form of the present invention includes providing a weft of material, having a plurality of hair fibers secured thereto, locating collapsible micro rings in spaced apart relationship to a side of the weft of material, and having strands of human hair from the scalp passed through each micro ring. Once the hair extension has been properly positioned, the micro rings are then crimped around the strand of natural hair, thus creating a temporary mechanical connection. To remove the hair extension from the scalp, the micro rings can be de-crimped thus allowing the strand of hair to be removed from the micro rings. This allows the hair extension to be removed from the head of hair, without damaging the natural hair fibers of a consumer.
Another form of the present invention includes providing a hair extension system having a weft of material made of elastomeric material, preferably skin like, with strands of auxiliary hair being densely positioned throughout the weft of material. Micro rings are positioned at a location near an upper edge or middle of the weft of material, and are secured thereto by a fastening member. The micro rings are comprised of deformable material, and have a silicon insert or film like material positioned within the micro ring, for protecting the human hair of strand that is placed there through. The micro rings may be repeatedly crimped and de-crimped, so as to make the hair extension reusable over and over again.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of installing a hair extension system includes the steps of separating the head of hair and creating a distinct section in which the hair extension will be installed, unrolling a length of hair extension material to a desired length and cutting a desired section of hair extension material. Next, the cut section of hair weft extension material is placed adjacent to the scalp in approximate location to where it is to be installed. Strands of natural hair fiber are then grasped by a hook member and pulled through the opening of the ring member so that the hair strand extends through the micro ring. This step is repeated until strands of hair have been placed through each respective micro ring. The weft of material is then placed into position adjacent or as close to the scalp where the hair extension is to be installed. The micro rings are now closed around each corresponding strand of natural hair material so as to securely yet temporarily, fasten the hair extension system, to the scalp. This completes the initial step of installing the hair extension system to a scalp.
It will be appreciated that a re-touch process can be employed which allows the hair extension system to be loosened and repositioned as the head of hair grows outwardly over the following months.
To remove the hair extension system from the scalp, each micro ring is de-crimped, thus allowing the micro rings to disengage from its corresponding strand of hair. This allows the hair system to be uninstalled, and reused, if desired. Thus, a reusable hair extension is provided which is durable, costs less and provides long lasting beauty.